It’s no secret how reliant we are on technology. It pervades nearly every aspect of our lives—without it, you wouldn’t be reading this review. But trying to take on such a massive topic is a daunting task. This challenge was taken up by Future Honey, a new devised theatre piece by The Pack playing at 59E59 Theaters prior to an Edinburgh Fringe Festival run.

Directed by Jenny Reed, the piece takes place in a future where the must-have technology is the “Lulu X7,” a wearable device that tracks and aids in all aspects of day-to-day life. We’re introduced to this world through Natalie, Morgan, and Annie (portrayed by Rachel Berger, Brittany Costa, and Samantha Sheppard, respectively), three young women so reliant on technology they take it for granted. But when their devices suddenly fail, the trio is thrust into a surreal world at the behest of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, where they must confront their digital society and personal relationships through a series of games. It's like Alice in Wonderland for a digital age, with bizarre puzzles and situations around every turn.

The piece is driven by its talented actresses, with Berger, Costa, and Sheppard all bringing emotional depth to their characters; these are relatable individuals, not bland vessels for larger themes. This relatability is key: though set in the future, this world doesn't seem too different from our own. With references to such contemporary topics as internet trolls and private information going viral, it’s clear that their world is a metaphor for our present. It’s especially effective to have this metaphor come from a distinctly female perspective, which allows technology to seem as potentially disenfranchising as it is helpful. This musing on digital culture is also quite well-informed and grounded in research, combining its more personal themes with ideas like “mental time travel” and deGrasse Tyson’s thoughts on connectivity.

How the piece deals with these ideas, however, is where it falters. The protagonists’ uncertainty and confusion as they stagger through their surreal adventures unfortunately results in the audience also being left in the dark, as we’re never sure of the full situation or why we should be invested in it. The game structure, where characters answer questions or perform tasks to restore their technology, makes the stakes clear for the characters, and their resulting emotional struggles are affecting drama. But it doesn’t work metaphorically—the situations and ultimatums are so heightened that it doesn’t resonate as well as it should.

This vagueness and surreality is forgivable if it’s supporting a larger message. But the piece doesn’t take an obvious enough stand to be terribly insightful, and its conclusion feels frustratingly incomplete, never answering the many questions the show raises. Future Honey is an admirable show, with strong female performers taking on big topics in a creative and entertaining way. But by packing in these massive cultural ideas, this smart but overwhelmed company ultimately loses what they’re actually trying to say.